Eight Spring/Summer ’18 Trends I’m Loving Right Now

Well hello there, I can’t believe it’s been three months since I paid any attention to my blog. April and May are my favourite months of the year and as much as I’d love to say that I took some time out to truly enjoy these months, that’s not how I feel in the slightest! Procrastination has simply hit hard this time, as well as lots of tiredness after work feelings and IRL social outings. But enough with the winging and back to what matters – I thought I’d break the radio silence with a good old post of a few spring/summer ’18 trends that I’m loving at the moment. I’ve done this kind of post before (see here and here) and despite the fact that in less than 10 days it’ll officially be summer, I couldn’t ignore one of my favourite seasons (to be clear, my favourite seasons are spring and summer. Let’s ignore the other two). Plus, summer in the UK sometimes feels like a mediocre spring, so it totally makes sense to mesh it all into one big blurry season. See below the list of what I’ve unapolegitically hit a fashion victim status for…

1. Slogan Tees

Yes yes, indeed this was a humongous trend last year (I even posted about it here), but whilst last year slogan tees very much took a female stance, this season is simply more fun (which is interesting considering what a shitty year 2017 was for women, but that’s another matter). Cute and/or retro fonts, playful wording, French phrases (which make me cringe and yet I just can’t resist), slogan tees are coming in every shape and size and there’s simply no escaping them. I personally need a filing restraint against them as I just can’t stop collecting them, they literally speak to me!

T-shirt, Whistles – worn with Topshop cardigan.

2. Basket Bags (and all things raffia)

I’m not going to bang on about this trend as I touched on it briefly in this post about circle bags here (another pretty big trend for SS’18) but let’s just say I salute you if you are able to resist this trend – what’s your secret?! I hate to be a sheep that follows the flock without any self-will, but like slogan tees I have fallen completely under the basket bag spell. I love how they add that effortless feel to any outfit and make you feel like you’re just a little closer to the French Riviera. But the love of straw has expanded ever so slightly, with other accessories (read: shoes, hats and even jewellery) honouring the raffia look.

Basket bag, Topshop – worn with Pimkie jacket and Primark dress.

3. Yellow and Mustard

Last season it was red (and in my heart, it’s still red), this season it’s yellow and mustard, yellow’s brother from another mother. I’ve always had a few pops of yellow here and there in my wardrobe and hell, I even had a blog series dedicated to mustard (you can see these super old posts here, here and here – ah, those were the days). Having said that, to this day I’m still not sure whether mustard suits me. Has that put me off? Not at all. I’ll always have a thing for mustard, and even though I’ve never been nuts about yellow, I totally get its happy appeal.

Dress, Miss Selfridge – worn with Mango bag and ASOS shoes.

4. Deckchair Stripes

Yes, I’m talking thick stripes combined with white and a bright hue like mustard, red or even green. I am yet to dip my toes into this trend so there is no visual accompaniment to this section, Soz. But take one look at Instagram and you’ll see it everywhere. It’s a fact that stripes are always in, but this season designers have taken some literal inspiration from all those wonderfully cheesy deckchairs you’ll see in Brighton, on postcards and maybe even one’s garden.

5. Wide Leg Trousers

Sure, wide-legged trousers with a cropped length have been around for a few seasons, but for SS’18 they’re undoubtedly the shape of season. Essentially, we’re talking culottes – a word that for some reason isn’t as appealing as wide-legged cropped trousers these days? I was very keen to get myself a striped pair and grabbed this pair from New Look (pictured below), which I must admit have made me feel pretty cool whenever I’ve worn them. Having said that, I think it’s a pretty tricky look to pull off and I’m not 100% sure they suit my petite stature and big thighs. Maybe I should get them shortened so that they’re actually cropped on me? #shortgirlproblems

6. Rainbow Stripes

Yes, I’m aware that this is the third time I am banging on about stripes for SS’18, but there’s no escape from this perennial print. Rainbow stripes were kind off a thing last spring/summer, and became huge in AW’17 – in fact it’s probably this infamous rainbow jumper that continued to set the mood for SS’18. But it’s no longer about tops, as rainbow stripes have spread their love on skirts, jumpsuits and pretty much anything with a surface.

7. Co-ords

There are pretty much two interpretations of this trend – first up, there’s the reinvention of the classic suit in a foray of pastel hues and bright shades or splashed in statement check prints for the more daring amongst us. As summer temperatures here in the UK are highly erratic, this is a look that can well be carried into autumn. But for those who are blessed to live in (or maybe visiting) warmer climates, why not treat yourself to a pair of matching tops and bottoms? Personally I’m more of a suit girl (and still love this one by Oasis, pictured below, all the way back in 2016) as the issue I’ve got with co-ords is that atm so many of them involve cropped tops, which I sadly just can’t dig. But girl gotta love a good co-ord.

Oasis jacket and trousers – worn with Ted Baker t-shirt, NW3 by Hobbs bag and Clarks shoes (picture taken back in summer 2016!).

8. Tortoiseshell Buttons

Can a button be a trend in itself? Hell yeah! Tortoiseshell buttons are everywhere this season, and I’m not surprised. They give garments that je ne sais quoi element that makes them seem just a little more chic, interesting or even luxurious. I would LOVE to find myself a midi dress with a tortoise shell button plaque – but until then, I am more than happy with this little ASOS skirt, which happens to twin rather wonderfully with this red denim jacket (pictured below). In fact, I think I hit the jackpot with this 4-trends-in-1 look.

These are my top picks for SS’18, although I believe there just a few more trends that deserve a little shoutout. Slogan tees may rule but I believe graphic tees (think cheery elements like retro-inspired graphic logos such as this tee) are having a moment too. Polka dots creeped up on us during AW’17 and have exploded for spring, which I’m all for. In line with tortoiseshell buttons, tea dresses with a button-down front seem to be the dress du jour. Lemon and cherry prints are having a bit of a moment this (upcoming) summer, and I’m on the look out for the perfect lemon print dress. One of my favourite ever films for both its style and substance, “Clueless”, was a pretty big style reference at the start of SS’18, with colourful check prints invading the high street. As well as yellow and mustard, cheerful shades like lilac, green and even orange have been popping up here and there. Although now that we’re on the cusp of high summer, it seems like crisp white and ivory are quickly becoming, without forgetting mustard and yellow, the colours of the season.

And that’s a wrap! If I were making a mood board for this seasons it would be a mix of pictures of Jane Birkin, the French Riviera, Amalfi, Frida Kahlo and a few classic elements from my favourite ever decade, the 80’s, such as statement earrings, square necklines and puffed up sleeves.

Despite the many trends I don’t like for SS’18 (no, no, no and no to crop tops), I am in love with this season’s beautiful mood. What are your favourite trends, looks and vibes for SS’18?